Ripper
by Kurogane7
Summary: A/U: A serial killer has been rampaging through Konoha. As time goes by, and more is learned about the victims, it quickly becomes clear that these are not random acts of violence. Uchiha Satsuki is on a mission to find out why, and to atone for the murder she'd committed three years prior. Rule 63!Sasuke (more targets later) Rated M for blood, violence, and future content
1. Chance for Redemption

**_A/N: New Crossover!_**

**_This time, it'll be more localized to a particular series. With any luck, this will be good enough for the readers._**

**_As usual, the number of reviews you post here will determine if this is a venture worth pursuing. So do please read and review, would you kindly?_**

**_And keep it classy!_**

_…_

_"And so, thou hath been knighted as a lord of Cainhurst Castle. The hour of thy vengeance is at hand; thy enemies are our enemies. Go, claim their hearts; gain strength from their blood, and attain our vengeance upon he who hath abandoned me."_

…

[Streets of Konohagakure no Sato]

It was a quiet day as two women traversed the streets of Konoha, glances of curiosity following them as they walked towards a temple in an isolated part of town.

One was a blonde with brown eyes, a purple diamond tattooed on her forehead, and a generous hourglass figure and bust that most would sell their souls for. However, under the smooth skin of a woman in her prime was the musculature of a trained fighter. She wore a green jacket over an off-white khaki gi and dark gray pants, with the word "賭" printed in an oblong red background on the back. Creamy blonde hair was parted behind her head in a pair of ponytails with small bow ties.

She was followed by a woman in a long black kimono with white trim. Her hair and her eyes were the color of the midnight sky, which contrasted against a fair complexion. Under her kimono was a fishnet mesh that protected against slashes, and hugged against her subtler curves to enable more freedom of movement. "Tsunade-sama, are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.

"We don't have any other choice, Shizune," answered Tsunade, "The people are in a panic, so we need all the help we can get to bring this case to a close as soon as possible. And if it means going to the one person I don't want to see to resolve it, then so be it."

The duo came to a stop in front of a shoji door with the Uchiha gunbai emblazoned upon its paper windows, making it clear that this was a place owned by the Uchiha clan. While a good portion of the Uchiha were not particularly religious, they did make good use of the temple as a dojo to train their police officers; even Uchiha Madara once came here to mentally prepare himself for his ill-fated duel against the Shodaime Hokage. In addition to a seal array that reinforced the walls with chakra, there was another that would constantly regenerate the building whenever damage was done to the temple itself, making the temple a viable safe house. However, the temple's seals made it such that it also doubled as a sort of prison, which was why she was coming to visit the person inside.

"Tsunade-sama, once you open that door, there's no turning back," Shizune warned, as her master reached for the door, "Who's to say that the prisoner won't try to escape?"

"I doubt that'll happen," Tsunade answered, "Unlike most prisoners, she wants to stay imprisoned because she honestly deserves to be there. But just in case that thought crosses her mind, we've got a lot of jōnin ready in case things go wrong."

In one quick motion, Tsunade parted the shoji before walking into the temple with Shizune quickly following as they took off their sandals. The first thing they saw was a gigantic, solid iron statue of an armor-clad warrior with a spear in one hand, while holding a pagoda in the other; he was Bishamonten, the bodhisattva of war and justice, and the one that most Uchiha prayed to. The rest of the interior was composed of wooden planks, with a sea of tatami mats lining the floor halfway to the effigy of Bishamon.

Unsurprisingly, there was only one person in the temple, sitting in seiza in the middle of the tatami sea while facing the Bishamonten statue in prayer, her jet-black hair was done up in a slicked duck-butt, and her skin was pale from a life on the upper rungs of society. She wore the white kimono and red hakama of a miko, along with white tabi keeping her feet warm; underneath her clothing was the body of a trained and talented fighter, with a figure that was slightly beaten out by one belonging to one Hyūga Hinata.

Tsunade sighed in frustration as she walked into the temple. "Let's just get this over with."

Both the Hokage and her assistant flanked the miko on both sides before kneeling in front of the Bishamonten statue. "After what I've done, I'm surprised you even came down here by yourself," said the miko, her attention focused on the iron sculpture, "The fact that you're here at all tells that you have an awkward problem that needs solving."

"Can't put it past the last Uchiha can I?" Tsunade asked, keeping her attention to the statue, "We have a killer wandering the village; it's been three days now, and they have already racked up five kills. The higher-ups are getting restless, and they want this case closed before any more people are killed by this madman they call the 'Konoha Ripper.'"

"And where do I fit in the picture?" the Uchiha girl queried.

"I'm putting together a squad of Shinobi with the best sensory capabilities to hunt down this 'Ripper' and bring them to justice," explained the Hokage, "I figure you might need a bit of time to stretch your legs, Satsuki."

The Uchiha girl sighed, bowing her head in shame. "That you'd think of me for this mission is an honor, but you and I both know I deserve to be imprisoned here for what I've done."

"And I know for a fact that he wouldn't have wanted you to just sit on your ass, praying for Bishamon to come punish you," Tsunade snapped, "He died trying to bring you back to the village, it's only fitting that you help fight for it in his stead. I don't think solving the case is going to atone for what you did, but it's a start."

After a few seconds of reverent silence, Tsunade regarded her student before nodding towards the door. "I'll do it," said Satsuki, "But I won't do it for a village that mistreated him as a boy; I'm doing it to make amends with the friends that he cherished in life, and to honor his memory.

…

_"Within this chest, are the tools thou shalt wield in our honor. Thy tainted blood shall strengthen these weapons, and thus it is with thy blood that our enemies shall fall. They are our gift to thee, as is the armor worn by our knights. Cherish them well, my knight."_

…

As the shoji doors closed behind the Hokage, Uchiha Satsuki pulled out a drawer hidden in the base of the Bishamon statue. Within was black lacquer-covered chest with the Uchiha gunbai inlaid in the top; it was a secret that she'd discovered once by accident. When her mother had caught her looking over its contents, and made her promise never to open it again—a promise she'd kept a week or so before the Uchiha Massacre.

She undid the locks, and opened the lid to reveal its contents, perfectly fitted into grooves carved into the bottom fitted to each. What dominated much of the box were a sword and dagger pair; the sword had a wide, almost disc-shaped pommel with a slot in the middle that fit the pommel of the dagger, along with a slim knuckle bow to protect the hand for one-handed swordplay. The dagger on the other hand, had a plain appearance reminiscent of a large hunting knife, without a guard.

Near the bottom end of the box was a strange, yet ornate weapon that looked like a long metal tube fitted into an intricately-carved wooden furniture. Near the business end of the weapon was a brass plate with more ornate carvings, making it as much a work of art as it was an implement of death. Even the complicated mechanisms were well-made, and included graceful curves. Next to it was a bottle of metal balls that fit into the tube with a label that read "crystallized mercury, handle with care," along with what looked like black powder used in fireworks, and a straight brass rod that flared at one end. Apart from that, she quickly noted the bottle of blood and syringes near the mercury balls.

Satsuki sighed to herself as she thought to the circumstances of her imprisonment. It had been three years since her confrontation with Naruto, and she'd regretted it ever since. There wasn't a day that went by when she wished she could take back the fight at the Valley of the End; that she hadn't let her wrath and her lust for power blind her the person she had cared for most in the world.

If she'd just ignored Orochimaru's offer of power, she wouldn't have been in this situation in the first place; Naruto would've been alive, in her arms, and (given time) sharing a bed with her. Unfortunately, she'd chosen to throw reason to the wind, because the temptation for the power to avenge her clan was too great━and for that, Naruto had paid for her lapse in judgment with a Chidori to the chest, while she took a Rasengan to the shoulder. As he washed away down the river, she tried to catch him before he fell down another waterfall, but before she could rescue him, Kakashi's dogs had caught up and knocked her out, mere seconds away from catching Naruto by the wrist.

After her retrieval, and being told that she'd killed Naruto, Satsuki was sentenced to house arrest in her clan's temple, never to leave its premises until such a time that the Hokage had deemed that she had been punished enough. Though after hearing of what she'd done, the Last Uchiha would've gladly come to the temple without prompting, and flogged herself daily if given the means. Instead, she had to settle for praying on her knees before the effigy of Bishamon to smite her, or barring that, give her an opportunity to repent for her sins. She had been kneeling and praying for a chance at penance since her confinement, sustaining herself only on the walnuts and acorns that grew on trees in the temple grounds. After three years of near-constant prayer, the Hokage had finally come to her with a chance to repent…an opportunity that she jumped at immediately.

As she pulled the sword and dagger pair from the chest, Satsuki had no delusions of a warm welcome from the remainder of the Konoha Twelve. Given that she was practically a traitor that was given a relatively light sentence, it was understandable; but she would go to any lengths to atone for the life she'd taken. Still, they were in need of her services, and she would take every opportunity to do Naruto's share of the work.

Opening the shoji door, Satsuki took in the night air as the blood moon bathed the streets of Konoha in a subtle red. She needed to head to the Hokage Tower in order to be briefed on this killer they were going to hunt down.

…

[Elsewhere in Konoha]

A man ran down the streets of Konoha as though the legions of Hell were at his heels. Any other day, the luxurious vestments he wore would have prepared him for any number of occasions, but not an armored psychopath running him down with a sword in hand. Luckily, he had spent time in the armed forces long before he was a businessman, and was able to reach the two shinobi that were on patrol; he was also fortunate that they were also deep in his pocket.

With a wave of his hand, the two jōnin moved to guard their charge. As he paused to catch his breath, the businessman had a good look at his pursuer. Whoever this figure was, was clad in paper-thin silver plates that had been tarnished by age, his face hidden behind a beaked helmet with intricate scrollwork embossed on its faceless visage. His weapon resembled a katana with intricate all-metal furniture, and he had a strange, but equally ornate item holstered at his right hip.

"Tough luck!" the businessman taunted, from behind his bodyguards, "You won't be getting out of this with a pair of jōnin breathing down your neck! And once I'm done with you, I'll be giving the good queen my full atten—"

Whatever else the businessman had to say was interrupted when the pursuer drew his smaller weapon. With a loud *bang*, his world went black.

…

_"Our blood strengthens thine, but trifle not with these traitors and abandoners. They are cold, brutal, and without mercy. But thou? Thou shalt be worse. Rip and tear, my knight, until it is done."_

…

**_A/N: Not much to say, except that there will be blood, as the Konoha Ripper tears through the village._**

**_Reviews would be lovely._**


	2. Sanguine

_**A/N: Hey there, been a while!**_

_**14 reviews on the first chapter? Good start.**_

_**Read and review, would you kindly? And keep it classy!**_

_**…**_

_"Hunt the traitor, and burn their bones to ashes._

_Hunt the deserter, and consume their blood._

_The Shimura Clan is most guilty of both crimes, my Knight._

_Destroy their coven and drive their name into the mud."_

…

[Streets of Konoha]

Satsuki strolled down the empty streets of Konoha, taking in the sights of the village awash in red. As she passed by many buildings, she could feel tears welling up in her eyes; the day before she'd run off to Otogakure with the Sound Four, she'd taken Naruto around to see the better parts of town. After the incident with the Sand Tanuki, people had been treating him a little better, but she'd noted that there were still a lot that hadn't changed their mind about him. Still, it was a rather good day for her, though she insisted that it was compensation for the fight they'd had the day before.

Many of the buildings Satsuki had passed were places where she and Naruto visited on their date, where she'd finally made good memories in a long time. What drove the knife deeper into her heart was the fact that she was honestly having a good time with him that culminated in a breathtaking view of the village from the Hokage Monument. All throughout the outing, she could feel her pulse racing as she was near him…it'd been this way since she first met him a few years before the academy, when he gave her a very sincere and much-needed hug not too long after the Uchiha Massacre. She didn't know she was truly smitten with him until the night she ran away, when she found herself wandering to his apartment, climbing into his window, and planting a quick kiss on his lips.

She didn't know what drove her to go out of her way to do so, but she could still feel the warmth of his lips on hers, the rush of adrenaline, her heart pounding as she realized what she had done…the way her body tried to get her to stay, and take it a step farther. Satsuki's mind was telling her to keep going, that vengeance had to come first, but her heart had told her to stay and get stronger with Naruto. In the end, temptation or no, she chose power over love; and she could still feel the consequences of her choice to this day.

_"And I won't_ let _you forget what you did!"_ taunted the dark voice in her head; the scary thing was that it was in her own voice, if it were rough from years of disuse. She could practically feel the scowl forming on her dark side's face. _"We could have been happy! We could have been loved! In the end, you chose your so-called 'duty' to the clan over a chance to move on and be free…to become your own person, instead of the good little girl that he wanted you to be!"_

Ignoring the rantings of the dark voice in her head, Satsuki came to a stop in front of her intended -much needed!- destination before going to the Hokage Tower: the cemetery. As she walked through the forest of granite spires and wooden spikes, she kept her eye out for a particular name in the sea of the dead. It took her a few minutes to find the grave she was looking for, but she'd found it on a granite spire with two other names flanking it. Given the last time she'd seen Naruto, Satsuki expected the funeral service to have an empty casket; what she didn't expect was that Naruto had actually come from a lineage as prestigious as the Uzumaki Clan, much less being the son of the Yondaime Hokage Namikaze Minato.

As she inspected the graves, Satsuki noted that they were well cared-for; the headstones were cleaned and polished to a near-pristine condition, the incense holder had seen plenty of use while apparently being maintained religiously, and there were already flowers in the vase. While it was possible that such care would have been given out of respect for the late Yondaime Hokage, there was far more devotion and love in the way the graves were maintained that was beyond simple admiration.

"You shouldn't be here," said a feminine voice to the side, with a slight inflection of anger in an otherwise tranquil tone.

Satsuki turned her attention to the speaker as she stood in the aisle with a bamboo bucket and a long-handled dipper in one hand, and a bouquet of lavenders, roses, and lilies in the other. She wore an off-white, button-down hoodie that held back a generously-sized bust, and indigo pants that went down to her calves that hugged her subtle hourglass figure. Her pale skin was due to a life in the upper crust of society, conflicting against midnight blue hair and red lipstick. The most defining thing about the girl were the off-white lilac Byakugan eyes glaring at her with a good amount of rage.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't necessary for me to do so, Hinata," Satsuki noted.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're not welcome," Hinata replied, walking towards her, "You lost that right when you killed Naruto."

"You think I don't know what I did?" the last Uchiha spat, as her former friend came to a stop next to her, "I am already hurting from the way things turned out because of my choices. The only reason I haven't killed myself three years ago is because Naruto would've called me a coward for committing suicide; he would've beat me black and blue if I didn't at least try to repent for my sins."

Hinata heaved a sigh before placing her flowers in the vase. "Make your peace with him, and never come back again," she finally said, "If you value his memory as much as I think you do, then show your remorse through your deeds. Prove that you are a changed woman, that you have repented for what you've done, and maybe you will be good enough to visit his grave again."

After taking a moment to inspect her work, Hinata stood up next to Satsuki, both girls silent as they said a silent prayer to the grave of Uzumaki Naruto. The last Uchiha looked at her former friend with no small amount of curiosity. "You cared for his grave?"

"Ever since the funeral," answered the Hyūga princess, "I've always been attracted by his will; the way he never gave up, trying harder or finding a smarter way to solve his problems. It's always inspired me to try and better myself, while making my heart beat even faster for him…in the end, I think it's love that I felt for him." Her eyes widened in shock upon hearing Hinata's admission. "And judging from what I see of you, it seems that you too loved him."

At this, Hinata turned to face Satsuki with a searching gaze on her delicate features, "I've seen the way you looked at him from afar, and I could tell that your feelings for him were as real as mine. It still puzzles me to this day as to why you would even choose to leave the village the way you did."

Satsuki sighed, feeling the shame and hurt welling up in her heart. She let out a calming sigh before turning her attention back to the grave. "I think even back then, I was still debating with myself whether I wanted revenge more than I did love," she began, "On the night I left, I got to thinking that ever since I met Naruto, he'd been a light in my lonely life…and I didn't want it gone. It conflicted with my ultimate desire to get strong enough so that I could kill Itachi for what he did, and forced me to think about what I wanted more. In the end, I chose power with the promise that I would come back for him; the hunger to have it both ways. I've regretted it ever since, and have been praying to Bishamon for death or a chance at redemption."

Whatever words Hinata had to say were interrupted when a loud *bang* rang off in the distance. Both girls turned towards the source of the noise, and ran towards it; the clarity of the sound was enough to tell them that whatever happened had taken place nearby. As both came from clans that wielded dōjutsu, each of them focused chakra into their eyes in preparation for a possible conflict; however, Satsuki held her katana at the ready, her left hand thumbing the guard in preparation for a quick cut.

It took a few seconds for the both of them to arrive at the scene, and the first thing they noted were the fresh bodies that were strewn about on the floor. Two of the corpses were active shinobi, but the third was a veteran judging by the musculature under his fine clothing; the two younger men were killed with sword slashes, but the older man was killed with a strange wound in his forehead.

Either way, a forensics team was needed to discuss what had happened.

…

_"Know that these traitors to Castle Cainhurst are not thy ultimate mission; merely a means to bestow strength upon thee._

_Our greatest wish is for the punishment of one soul._

_It is fitting then, that We demand his death as recompense."_

…

[Hokage Tower, the next morning]

The gathering of shinobi sat in the auditorium as they watched Shikamaru walking up to the podium with a projector set up next to him. He eyed everyone with a serious expression on his face; whatever semblance of his clan's infamous lazy streak had been gone ever since the mission where Naruto died, and in its place was a no-nonsense attitude.

As Satsuki settled in her seat, she noted that not every one of the Rookie Twelve were in attendance. She quickly recognized Kiba and Shino in the audience, the former having changed the least in the last three years; Shino on the other hand, was harder to recognize due to the hoodie he wore over his afro. Due to the fact that their dōjutsu were especially helpful for tracking targets, Satsuki was not surprised that Hinata and Neji were present…she was surprised to find Ino in the crowd, however. Overall, it was the ultimate team organized to track down an elusive target.

"Alright then, let's get this show started," Shikamaru sighed, getting his transparencies together, "Four days ago, a murder had occurred in the village." As he spoke, he changed the first slide, revealing the first victim. "The first target was one Hidemitsu Genji, a businessman that had a lot of investments in hematology labs. Found dead with a deep cut across his chest, and his heart missing."

The slide changed to display the image of a man in a lab coat. "Next day, Matsu Tadashi would follow; he was one of the hematologists Genji had invested in, big partner too. Really good at his job, apparently. Suffered a stab wound in his leg before having his chest cut open with the same weapon and his heart missing."

Given her experience with the Uchiha Massacre, Satsuki was not affected by the next slide, depicting the image of three dead men, and photos showing the destruction of a gambling den. Her trained eyes noted the signs of struggle, which indicated that none of them went down without a fight. "And the day after that, we have the Kobayashi brothers, all of whom ran a gang that operated in the south side of Konoha. All three were killed in a Cho-han den; again, our perp took the time to remove the hearts from each of the brothers."

The last image that Satsuki saw was no surprise to her; after all, she and Hinata were first on the scene. The crime scene photographers were known for their exquisite work, which enabled her to read the murder scene in her head with clarity. "Now we have Takemura Hideki, businessman and veteran of the Third Shinobi World War, and two shinobi who were on his payroll. And surprise, surprise! He's also missing his heart, only his time, he was found dead with a big hole in his head; funny thing here is that our killer left the shinobi alone, like he only wanted Hideki's heart and nobody else."

After the last slide was displayed, the projector was turned off as Shikamaru turned his attention back to the assembled shinobi. "Now we don't know what's going on here, but all the corpses are on ice, and we have plenty of crime scene photos so that we can learn more about our killer and catch him before he claims another victim. So far, judging by the pattern of his attacks, it's very obvious that he's not some random psycho-killer out for blood; this is a hitman who's going after very specific targets, and that has an established pattern of ripping out hearts. We don't know what connects the victims, only that most of them are the sort of people that won't be missed. The higher-ups want this case closed as soon as possible, so the Hokage set up this task force to find forensic evidence to track down the Konoha Ripper, and either kill or arrest them━so let's get it done, people!"

As soon as he finished his debrief, the entire audience sat up and left for the labs. They had a lot of work to do if they were going to capture this assassin before he claimed another victim.

…

[The Black Angel Wine Parlor]

All was quiet at The Black Angel as a tall, slim old man in a white dress shirt and finely-tailored dark gray pants cleaned a thin-walled glass cup with a long stem using a dry cloth. He wore a black silk vest and tie over his shirt, and a pair of white silk gloves that completed his image as a suave and sophisticated gentleman. As he came to a pause in cleaning the glass, his aquiline features studied the progress of his work through a monocle over his left eye. Satisfied, he placed the glass in a shelf under the counter to keep his blood-red eyes out for potential customers.

The establishment he operated had a rustic charm to it, while also keeping the bottles of wine from various growers and vintages in a very organized manner. Sadly though, wine made from grapes had yet to catch on in this part of the world, but he did have a few curious customers walking in to sample his wares. Sometimes, he got lucky and somebody bought a wine, while others were simply entertained by the experience of a new drink, which brightened his somewhat boring days; though he was ultimately amused at the fact that nobody seemed the wiser as to his true occupation.

The old man's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the bell to his shop opening. His attention was immediately turned to a figure wearing a very crude form of armor that walked towards the counter. He was clad in silver cards that were stitched to his cloak, and a full-face mask that did well in hiding his guest's identity…then there was the smell of fresh blood on his person, a sign that he'd just recently killed someone.

"Can I help you?" asked the proprietor, silently cracking his knuckles under the counter.

The guest reached into a pocket under the cloak, and placed something on the countertop with a gentle tap before retracting his gloved hand. The old man saw the item: it was a small, brass medallion in the shape of a heater shield with an inlaid red lacquer interior and embossed golden lions facing away from each other. Knowing the crest the stranger presented to him, the proprietor of the wine shop smiled. "So you're Her Majesty's newest knight," he noted, "It's been a long time. Walter C. Dornez, at your service, sir. By day, I am but a simple sommelier; by night, I am one of the Her Majesty's most loyal servants. What can I do for you?"

"I'd like a tasting," said the figure simply.

Walter smirked deviously. "Very well then, if you'd be so kind as to follow me."

The old man pulled out a sign that said "out on break" before beckoning his guest into the area behind the counter. He pulled aside a small painting and pressing a button hidden behind; in response, a shelf shifted aside, revealing a passageway with a flight of stairs behind. Both Walter and the Cainhurst Knight descended the stairway as the secret passage closed behind them.

As soon as they made it to the bottom, Walter flipped a switch near the threshold, revealing what could rightfully be called an arsenal. The room was spacious enough for several large display cases with a large variety of weapons stored neatly within; however one's attention was quickly drawn to the walls lined with shelves behind a display counter containing smaller weapons mounted on stands. Some were more ornate weapons with wooden furniture from a long time ago; others seemed much more advanced, but made with no less care than before.

Walter and the knight walked towards the counter, the former standing behind the counter. "What are we in the mood for, good sir?"

"I have had my first taste last night, and would like another," explained the knight, "Do you have any recommendations?"

The older man's grin had widened with enthusiasm. "I may have a few samples for you on hand…"

…

_"Bring us the head of he who has harmed Us the most, my knight; tear open his chest for his deceit._

_Rip out the hateful heart of Uchiha Madara; We desire his blood above all others._

_I, Annalise, Queen of the Cainhurst Vilebloods, have sworn vengeance upon him for his treachery._

_We shall suffer not, his blow upon Our pride!"_

**_…_**

**_A/N: New chapter done._**

**_When I said it'd be a more localized crossover, I meant that there will be no obvious Dark Souls elements. That doesn't mean I won't have guest appearances; and on that note, I believe Walter would have made a killing in Yharnam._**

**_As you can see, Walter will serve in about the the same capacity as the Sommelier from "John Wick, Chapter 2" with more bite to him._**

**_Please do leave a review._**


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